Mirena MDL Might Be Announced in the Coming Months

On January 2013, plaintiffs from various district courts banded together and submitted a petition to the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. They have requested the federal court in Ohio to consolidate all Mirena lawsuit into a multidistrict litigation proceeding in that state.

Many Mirena lawyers are hopeful that the petition will be accepted. According to them, this consolidation will benefit all parties by simplifying pretrial proceedings and eliminating multiplicity of actions. They believe that the consolidation will speed up the process of handling such complex cases.

An article published on a personal injury law firm website, the Rottenstein Law Group’s rotlaw.com, states that Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals previously filed a similar petition to merge all Mirena cases in Middlesex County. However, the court rejected the company’s request in January 2013, a week before the new petition was filed by plaintiffs.  

The Mirena intrauterine device is a T-shaped contraceptive device made of polyethylene plastic. This device prevents gestation by releasing a constant amount of levonorgestrel directly into the uterus. It can avert pregnancy for up to five years. Moreover, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration certified Mirena in 2000. It was further approved in 2009 for the treatment of heavy menstruation.

Many women prefer using Mirena due to its convenient design. While oral contraceptives are taken daily, the Mirena intrauterine device is only inserted once every five years. Moreover, the device is easily reversible. As a result, over a million women in the United States have switched from birth control pills to Mirena.

In recent years, however, reports of Mirena complications have increased significantly. In fact, an increasing number of cases against Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals have been filed in various federal courts all over the United States. Majority of these cases claim that the Mirena intrauterine device have perforated the uterine wall of its users. Moreover, other lawsuits claim that the device have become embedded in the abdomen or uterus of its users, resulting in organ damage and infertility.    

Aside from the aforementioned Mirena complications, other side effects have also been reported. These side effects include infection, adhesion, abscesses, device ejection, inflammation, obstruction, and pelvic inflammatory disease. In rare instances, the Mirena intrauterine device has been reported to cause ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy refers to pregnancy that occurs outside of the womb. This medical condition is considered as one of the most dangerous complications that has been linked to the hormonal intrauterine device.

 

Mirena Lawsuits May Be Consolidated in Ohio

Mirena IUD lawsuit attorneys recently filed a petition to consolidate all federal lawsuits against Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals into one multidistrict litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The petition was submitted to the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation on January 16, 2013. By this time, there were already eight Mirena lawsuits pending in various district courts. The plaintiffs who wanted the lawsuits merged assert that a multidistrict litigation will streamline the process, conserve the assets of the court, and avert contradictory ruling across similar actions. Incidentally, this particular petition for a multidistrict litigation was filed a week after the Supreme Court of New Jersey rejected a similar petition filed by the defendant to consolidate 16 cases in Middlesex County Superior Court.

The Mirena intrauterine device was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2000. From then on, it quickly became popular. In fact, the device is currently being used by approximately 2 million women across the nation. However, as the number of Mirena users increases, reports of complications linked to the device have also skyrocketed. Due to this fact, plaintiffs are led to believe that the number of Mirena lawsuits will still rise in the coming months.

Multiple Mirena lawsuits claim that the hormonal intrauterine device has caused severe injuries in patients. According to reports, the device can migrate outside the uterus, perforating the uterine wall and other organs. Moreover, other complications associated with the Mirena intrauterine device include device embedment, infection, abscesses, perforations, intestine obstruction, pelvic inflammatory disease, and infertility.

In some reported cases, the Mirena intrauterine device has even caused ectopic pregnancy. This life-threatening medical condition occurs when a fertilized egg attaches itself outside the uterus. If left untreated, afflicted patients may bleed to death. In order to remove ectopic pregnancy, patients will have to undergo salpingostomy or salpingectomy.

Several lawsuits against Bayer allege that the company failed to properly warn consumers regarding the side effects of Mirena. Moreover, the pharmaceutical company has been known to overstate the efficacy of the hormonal intrauterine device in its advertisements. According to a website managed by a New York based personal injury law firm, the Rottenstein Law Group’s http://www.rotlaw.com, Bayer was reprimanded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2009 for false advertising.  

Mirena IUD User Files Lawsuit Over Life Threatening Complication

A recent Mirena IUD lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of New Jersey Law Division, Morris County. The plaintiff, a woman from Minnesota, claims that the Mirena intrauterine device caused her ectopic pregnancy and other severe complications. The lawsuit claims that she was implanted with the Mirena intrauterine device in 2006. Initially, her device was working normally without problems. However, three years later, the device went missing. Apparently, the woman’s doctor was not able to find the string attached to the hormonal IUD. Therefore, the doctor advised the woman to undergo real-time sonography.

The sonographic image of her pelvis showed that the Mirena intrauterine device had partially perforated the right side of her uterus. Moreover, the image revealed that the woman was having an ectopic pregnancy, which appeared as a mass-like lesion next to her right ovary. She had to undergo laparoscopic surgery in order to extract the device from her uterus. Additionally, she underwent salpingectomy to get rid of the ectopic pregnancy.

Ectopic pregnancy is a potentially fatal medical condition in which pregnancy occurs outside of the uterus. Among the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s list of severe complications associated with the Mirena intrauterine device, ectopic pregnancy ranks as one of the most dangerous. Other Mirena complications include uterine perforation, infection, device embedment, and pelvic inflammatory disease.

The aforementioned lawsuit claims that the injuries and damages sustained by the woman resulted from the manufacturer’s negligence and wrongful conduct. According to the lawsuit, the company that manufactured the hormonal intrauterine device misrepresented the product. The plaintiff demands compensation for her severe physical injuries, suffering, emotional damage, and financial loss.

The Mirena IUD lawsuit further states that this is not the first time the manufacturer of the hormonal intrauterine device, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, has been accused of false advertising. In fact, the company was previously reprimanded by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising, and Communications for its unsubstantiated claims about the Mirena intrauterine device.

A recent petition to merge all federal Mirena cases into a multidistrict litigation was filed by several plaintiffs from all over the United States. Moreover, the lawyers of the plaintiffs requested that the lawsuits be centralized in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division. If the petition is granted, the Honorable Patricia A. Gaughan will be the one to supervise the multidistrict litigation. Further information on this subject and other lawsuits against Bayer can be found on personal injury law firm sites like the Rottenstein Law Group’s http://www.rotlaw.com.

Updates on Mirena IUD Lawsuits

The Mirena intrauterine device has been involved in numerous lawsuits over the years. Based on reports, more than a thousand patients who have suffered injuries as a result of using the hormonal intrauterine device have filed claims. Among the individuals who have filed Mirena IUD lawsuit, a couple of plaintiffs have already won their lawsuit and received compensation.

The Mirena IUD may Have Been Previously Sold on the Black Market

In July 2011, a report published in Wired Magazine claims that a number of unapproved intrauterine devices were previously distributed in the United States. These devices were not specifically identified on the report. However, the report stated that the ‘black market IUDs’ may still be on the market to this day, disguised under different brand names. This means that the intrauterine devices sold today, including the Mirena IUD, may have been one of the IUDs that were previously sold on the black market.

During that time when the unapproved IUDs were still widely distributed in the country, numerous physicians were caught buying the devices. As a result, several criminal investigations were initiated. In addition, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had issued a warning against using the unsafe intrauterine devices.

The Mirena IUD and Its Uses

The Mirena intrauterine device is a T-shaped contraceptive device made of polyethylene plastic. It is inserted in the uterus through the vagina. Moreover, the device secretes a steady amount of levonorgestrel directly into the uterus. Thus, preventing pregnancy for up to five years. This hormonal intrauterine device is manufactured by Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, one of the leading producers of healthcare products. It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the year 2000. In addition, the device was approved in 2009 for the treatment of heavy menstruation. Aside from birth control and treating heavy menstruation, the Mirena intrauterine device has also been used for prevention and treatment of endometriosis, dysmenorrhea, adenomyosis, anemia, and chronic pelvic pain.

Mirena IUD Lawsuits: Now and Then

Ever since the market release of Mirena, several Lawsuits have been filed against Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals. Based on a New York based personal injury law firm website, the Rottenstein Law Group’s rotlaw.com, there are no recent reports of settlements yet. However, according to the website, there are lawsuits in several states in which plaintiffs are seeking compensation for their injuries. In fact, in the state court of New Jersey alone, there are at least 16 cases against Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, claiming that the Mirena intrauterine device inflicted serious injuries, including uterine perforations.

Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals filed a petition in August 2012 to consolidate the cases in New Jersey. However, the court denied the company’s request in January 2013.

New York Magazine Article Fails To Cite Mirena Side Effects

According to an article published on a New York magazine website, NYMag.com, women who use the Mirena intrauterine device are happy with their chosen birth control method. The author of the article remarked that these women would even recommend the hormonal intrauterine device to other women who have never used contraceptives. It is strange, however, that neither the women who were reportedly affected by severe Mirena complications nor the lawsuits faced by the manufacturer of Mirena were mentioned in the article.  

Mirena IUD Is Widely Used Around The World Despite Reports of Mirena Side Effects

Mirena IUD users comprise about 10% of women who use contraceptives. This number has been increasing over the past 10 years, according to the NYMag.com article. The article also states that most women who have just been introduced to Mirena would choose to use the intrauterine device immediately without too many questions. This may, in part, be due to the convenient design of the IUD, which can prevent pregnancy for up to 5 years. According to the article, Mirena is an IUD that “converts.” Moreover, the article states that Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Mirena, owes the popularity of its intrauterine device to the women who have constantly been persuading others to use it.

Unfortunately, the growing popularity of Mirena blindsided many women who were not aware of the potential complications associated with the hormonal intrauterine device. Allegedly, many of these women developed severe Mirena complications, including uterine perforations, dislocation, bleeding, device migration, abscesses, inflammation, pelvic inflammatory disease, and ectopic pregnancy. As a result, numerous lawsuits were filed against Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals.   

New York Article Fails To Mention Mirena Complications Which Triggered Lawsuits

The article on NYMag.com noticeably omitted the fact that several Mirena lawsuits are currently pending in state courts all over the United States. Apparently, many of the plaintiffs claim to have suffered from serious injuries caused by the hormonal intrauterine device. These women accuse Bayer of endangering their fertility and lives by negligently downplaying the intrauterine device’s potential to cause severe and life threatening side effects. Moreover, according to a New York based personal injury law firm website, the Rottenstein Law Group’s http://www.rotlaw.com, there are at least 16 Mirena IUD lawsuit pending in New Jersey Superior Courts. Additionally, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals recently petitioned the Supreme Court of New Jersey to consolidate all Mirena lawsuits into one multidistrict litigation in Middlesex County, New Jersey. The company may be expecting more cases to be filed in the following months.

Mirena Lawsuits Increase in Number Continuously

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The Mirena intrauterine device is a popular birth control device manufactured by Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceutical. However, ever since its market release, the device has been linked to several complications. Moreover, despite its popularity, some physicians would still discourage use of the hormonal IUD. In their opinion, the device would only do more harm than good. Moreover, a number of women allege that the Mirena intrauterine device has caused numerous serious injuries in the past few years. In fact, several Mirena lawsuits are currently pending in various courts, asserting that the device is defective by design and Bayer failed to properly warn consumers regarding Mirena IUD risks.

The hormonal intrauterine device was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the year 2000. After only a short period of time, the device became one of the most widely used contraceptive devices on the market. Apparently, Mirena’s convenient design and marketing has pushed many women into buying the product. Moreover, the Mirena intrauterine device is designed to prevent pregnancy for up to five years. It also has the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval to treat heavy menstruation.

As modern women turn to long term birth control methods, use of intrauterine devices is becoming more widespread in the United States and worldwide. Therefore, device safety is of utmost importance.

In the case of the Mirena intrauterine device, several concerns were raised following reports of serious Mirena side effects. These side effects include device migration, uterine perforation, infection, and the embedding of the device in the uterus. Women who are suffering from side effects related to Mirena may need surgery to remove the intrauterine device.

Other complications associated with the hormonal intrauterine device include amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, vaginal bleeding, infertility, cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease, pseudotumors, and ectopic pregnancy. Use of the device has also been linked to weight gain and acne.

Previously, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceutical was warned by the FDA due to the company’s questionable marketing methods. According to the agency, Bayer’s marketing claims to help women improve their sex lives were groundless. Moreover, the agency believes that Bayer exaggerated the benefits of Mirena and downplayed the risks.

Lawsuits against Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceutical continues to pile up even to this day. According to a New York based personal injury law firm website, the Rottenstein Law Group’s http://www.rotlaw.com, several Mirena lawsuits are currently pending in the state courts of Ohio, New Jersey, and California.

Plaintiff Files Mirena Lawsuit Over Alleged Complications

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Based on an article by Bloomberg News, a Mirena lawsuit filed in federal court asserts that the hormonal intrauterine device may cause severe complications in women. The individual who filed the case is a woman from Pennsylvania named Tricia Prendergast. She suffered Mirena intrauterine device complications that resulted in surgery. She accuses the manufacturer of the hormonal intrauterine device, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, of failure to sufficiently warn consumers regarding the risks.

Aside from the above mentioned lawsuit, other lawsuits have also been filed in various state courts all over the United States. In Prendergast’s case, she claims that Bayer did not warn about the risks of ectopic pregnancy and the embedding of the device in the uterus. She stated in her complaint that she had to undergo surgery just to remove the device from her system. According to her, the dangers of using Mirena outweighs the benefits. Prendergast filed her lawsuit in the State Court of Philadelphia.

Bayer has been accused several times of false advertisement in regard to matters that concerns Mirena intrauterine devices. In fact, most Mirena lawsuits accuse Bayer of such.

Other Adverse Effects of The Mirena IUD That May Have Triggered Mirena Lawsuits

Besides ectopic pregnancy, several other complications have been associated with the Mirena intrauterine device, some of which have triggered lawsuits. These complications include:

• Infertility
• Streptococcal sepsis
• Infection of the uterus
• Uterine perforation
• Device migration

The Petition by Mirena IUD Users To Consolidate All Cases into a MDL

A petition was recently filed by Mirena IUD users. These individuals have requested the federal court to consolidate all the lawsuits associated with Mirena into a multidistrict litigation. Should the petition be granted, the multidistrict litigation will take place in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. A more elaborate Information on Mirena lawsuits can be found on personal injury law firm websites like the Rottenstein Law Group’s http://www.rotlaw.com.

History of The Hormonal Intrauterine Device Mirena

Mirena is the brand name given to the hormonal intrauterine device manufactured by Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals. This device has been in the market since the year 2000. It is a reversible long-term birth control method preferred by most women in the United States. According to reports, over a million women in the country are users of the hormonal intrauterine device. This birth control device prevents pregnancy by releasing a hormone known as levonorgestrel. Based on the manufacturer’s advertisements, Mirena intrauterine device is the most convenient and effective contraceptive method in the market.

Side Effects Related To Mirena Disregarded By Medical College

Many women all over the United States hesitate to use contraceptive devices like the Mirena intrauterine device due to fear of complications. However, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists assures them there is little to fear from contraceptive devices. In fact, the college recommends women to use IUDs rather than birth control pills, despite the reported risks involved.

The Number of Reported complications Related to Intrauterine Devices and Oral Contraceptives

There have been several incident reports related to blood clots caused by birth control pills like Yaz and Yasmin. In fact, the manufacturers of these pills have paid billions to settle lawsuits. Compared to reports of problems associated with intrauterine devices like the Mirena IUD, the numbers of reports linked to birth control pills were higher. According to reports, one out of twenty women using IUDs experience device expulsion before any harm was done.

Nonetheless, there have also been many reports of uterine perforation caused by intrauterine devices like Mirena. As a matter of fact, the occurrence rate of this type of incident is higher than the rate of blood clot incidents in women taking oral contraceptives like Yaz and Yasmin. Approximately 0.1% of women using the Mirena IUD in the United States are at risk of puncturing their uterus. This means over 300 women are at risk of uterine perforation caused by intrauterine devices sold in the country late last year. The rate may be higher depending on the expertise of gynecologists.

Medical College Recommends Intrauterine Devices Despite Complications

Even though intrauterine devices may potentially cause negative side effects, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists still recommends the use of these devices. Undoubtedly, doctors can use a particular tool to check whether the device remains in its original position. However, it is mostly useless when the device had already migrated. Migration of the device can lead to permanent damage such as infertility.

Lawsuits Against Bayer Pharmaceuticals Over Complications Associated with Device

Many women are unaware of the device migration risk involved in using Mirena intrauterine devices. The manufacturer of the device, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, did not release any form of public warning regarding device migration after proper insertion. Therefore, several injured women have filed lawsuits against Bayer for withholding vital information. More than ten Mirena lawsuit is pending in the State Court of New Jersey. According to the Rottenstein Law Group’s http://www.rotlaw.com, a personal injury law firm website, Bayer has petitioned the court of New Jersey to consolidate the cases in Middlesex County. However, the petition was rejected in January 2013.

Mirena IUD Lawsuits Investigated

Over the years, numerous Mirena IUD lawsuit has been filed due to complications associated with the birth control device. Moreover, hundreds of claims are being assessed by personal injury law firms for possible litigation.

The Mirena IUD and Its Popularity

Mirena IUD is a birth control device that is inserted in the uterus through the vagina. This device can prevent pregnancy for up to five years by secreting a constant amount of hormone called levonorgestrel directly into the uterus. It was authorized by the U.S Food and Drug Administration in the year 2000. It was also approved in 2009 as treatment of heavy menstruation. Moreover, many women prefer using this type of birth control method over oral contraceptives, making it one of the most used contraceptives in the United States. However, despite its popularity, the hormonal intrauterine devices has been linked to various complications that led to numerous lawsuits against the producer, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals.

Bayer’s Request to Merge Mirena IUD lawsuits Denied by Court

According to personal injury law firm websites like the Rottenstein Law Group’s rotlaw.com, the number of Mirena IUD lawsuits, particularly the ones in the New Jersey Superior Court, have reached more than fifteen. Due to the number, Bayer healthcare Pharmaceuticals has petitioned the Superior Court to consolidate the cases into a multicounty litigation, proceeding in Middlesex County, New Jersey. According to a January 8 statement by the administrative director of the State Court, Glenn Grant, the petition was denied.

Complications Caused by The Mirena IUD

Numerous complications and side effects have been associated with the hormonal intrauterine device. A few of these complications may even result in permanent damage. The following are some of the complications linked with the Mirena IUD:

• Device migration – the device migrates to other parts of the body, moving away from its original position.
• Uterine perforation – the wall of the uterine is punctured by the device, usually when it migrates.
• Vaginal infections
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) – inflammation of the ovaries, uterus, or the fallopian tubes, which can lead to infertility.
• Abscesses
• Embedding of the device in the wall of the uterus
• Ectopic pregnancy – a dangerous pregnancy that develops outside the uterus. The baby cannot survive.

Over the years, many women have been affected with these complications. Furthermore, ever since the release of the hormonal intrauterine device in the market, several reports of Mirena IUD adverse effects have been submitted to the FDA.

Bayer’s Failure To Warn About Side Effects Triggers Mirena Lawsuit

Claiming she had suffered from a serious medical condition and injury, a woman from Arkansas filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of Mirena intrauterine device. According to her, the device migrated outside of her uterus, causing injury and illness.

Susan Harp, 29, filed the Mirena IUD lawsuit in Arkansas eastern District Court on January 04, 2013. She accused Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Mirena IUD, of failure to adequately inform consumers and doctors regarding the risks of using the hormonal intrauterine device. The company failed to clearly indicate that the device may migrate outside the uterus, thereby, perforating organs and failing to stop gestation, she claimed.

The hormonal intrauterine device is a T-shaped contraceptive device that is placed in the uterus through the vagina. Lodged inside the uterus, it releases a constant amount of levonorgestrel to prevent pregnancy for up to five years. Moreover, according to the manufacturer, this device is easily reversible, making it a better alternative to oral contraceptives.

Based on Harp’s complaint, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals should have known that the hormonal intrauterine device is hazardous and risky. Moreover, she stated in her complaint that the company failed to inform the public that the device may do more harm than good. According to her, the company continued carelessly advertising the device as harmless and effective regardless of its potential dangerous side effects.

Harp had started using the hormonal intrauterine device in January 2006. She stated that the device had been properly inserted and there had been no complications during surgery. However, after four years, she began experiencing abdominal pains and nausea. Thus, a CT scan had been performed on her to diagnose the problem. The CT scan showed that the Mirena IUD had migrated from her uterus into an area within her pelvis. As a result, she underwent laparoscopy to extract the device. As she was recovering from the surgery, she developed a urinary tract infection called acute pyelonephritis, which may lead to failure of the kidney and death.

Over the years, several lawsuits have been filed against Bayer for negligently marketing Mirena IUD without properly specifying the risks, severely injuring many women. According to personal injury law firm websites such as the Rottenstein Law Group’s rotlaw.com, the manufacturer of the hormonal intrauterine device is currently facing a growing number of litigation.